The resource is designed for quick access by busy journalists. It describes issues relating to suicide reporting, suggests areas that journalists should think carefully about, and identifies sources of information that journalists may find useful.
The media resource was developed in 2011 by a roundtable of key stakeholders, convened by Hon Peter Dunne, as minister responsible for suicide prevention. Roundtable members included representatives of the news media (including the Media Freedom Committee, Fairfax, TVNZ and Radio NZ), and mental health professionals. Officials from the Ministries of Health, Justice and Education attended roundtable meetings in an advisory and secretariat capacity.
The final version has been adopted by the Newspaper Publishers’ Association and the Media Freedom Committee.